6^th March 2015 by ingenie

Our top cars from car insurance group one

All cars are independently sorted into insurance groups, with the lowest numbers being the cheapest cars to insure.

It's always a good idea to have a look at insurance group 1 cars as you could save a lot of cash.

Dacia Sandero

The Sandero is the cheapest car in the UK. It's possible to pick up a new Sandero for £5,995 if you choose the entry-level model, which is impressive considering you'd pay about that for a used Polo or Clio.

It won't have any bells and whistles (though you can add extras like Bluetooth and parking sensors on the higher spec models) but for a first car it's fantastic.

It's spacious, it has a big boot for its size (the biggest on the list) and it's cheap to run. Just make sure you know what equipment the basic model comes with before you buy - it has no stereo!

If you go up one model to the Dacia Sandero Ambience (£800 more than the entry-level), you'll get remote central locking, electric front windows, CD player, Bluetooth, and USB and MP3 player ports as standard.

Engine size: 1.2 litre

Fuel efficiency: 48.7mpg

Vehicle tax: £130

Hyundai i10

The Hyundai i10 is one of the best looking cars in insurance group 1 in my opinion, which obviously shouldn't be the first consideration when you're looking for an affordable car, but sure is a nice plus.

The cheapest i10 - the S model - retails at about £8,000. It has daytime running lights, a CD player with MP3 fixture, and what Hyundai calls a Trip Computer, which works out how many miles you're doing to the gallon and how many miles' worth of fuel you have left. Very handy.

Engine size: 1.0 litre

Fuel efficiency: 65.7mpg

Vehicle tax: £0 for the first year, £20 after

SEAT Mii

The entry-level Seat Mii S comes in at a little over £8,000. Although the car is only 3.5 metres long, reviews state that its interior space is more practical than the similarly-sized Fiat 500, with neat tricks for expanding the storage.

Unlike some of the other entry-level cars in insurance group 1, the Mii comes with air conditioning and you can add the extra Safety Pack - including automatic braking for safety in traffic - for just £28.

MP3-compatible CD player gets a tick, and there's even a touchscreen for Bluetooth phone connection, navigation and driving info.

Engine size: 1.0 litre

Fuel efficiency: 62.8mpg

Vehicle tax: £0 for the first year, £20 after

Skoda Citigo

The S model Skoda Citigo costs about £8,200. It has a height-adjustable seat and steering wheel, which adds flexibility to its already good visibility. It may not come with loads of flashy tech but it came second in Auto Express's 2014 satisfaction survey AND gets 5 stars for safety from Euro NCAP.

It doesn't come with a lot of kit but does have a removable dash screen for navigation, hand-free phone use and music selection.

Engine size: 1.0 litre

Fuel efficiency: 62.9mpg

Vehicle tax: £0 for the first year, £20 after

Volkswagen Up!

The Up! has a higher price tag than the other cars in insurance group 1 (beginning at £8,765 for the Take Up!) but it has a lot of positives. It's nice to look at inside and out, fun to drive and its resale value is very good, as you'd expect from a VW.

CD and MP3 connection come as standard, with sat nav and Bluetooth available as extras. It got 5 stars in its Euro NCAP crash tests and you can add more safety features such as city emergency braking.

There are quite a few models of the Up! in insurance group 1, so you have a choice of 3 or 5 doors and the ultra-efficient BlueMotion Technology options. These are vehicle tax free due to low emissions and have stop-start technology to save fuel when the car is stationary.

Engine size: 1.0 litre

Fuel efficiency: 62.8mpg (68.9mpg for BMT models)

Vehicle tax: £0 for the first year, £20 after (BMT models are exempt)

Need a bit more tech in your ride? Our pick of the best small cars with big technology is the one for you.

Please note that mileage, fuel and tax figures quoted are only for the example listed and can vary depending on engine size, the age of the car and how it is driven. This section is intended as a guideline only.